Marco Diaz likes to believe Star would never hide anything from him, ever. After all, they've been best friends for a number of years, and they've gone through hell and back for each other (and he'd do it again and again if he had to). But then he starts to notice just how Tom and Star act around each other, even when he's there.
You see, Tom and Star had once dated, and throughout time and Tom's gradual un-obsession with her, the two of them had become friends once again. But Marco knows those stares, and the touches and the whispers too well, and he doesn't want to admit it, but he can feel his heart sink lower and lower each time.
He waits for her to tell him; to walk into her bedroom or nudge him in the school hall or scream it out to him when they're watching her favorite romantic movies.
But she doesn't say anything, and Marco thinks he's going to lose his mind.
(Maybe he already did, he doesn't really know).
Every time Tom comes over, Marco notices the way Star fakes a smile and how she nervously pulls on her blonde hair when they're talking. Nothing about the way the demon boy acts is much different, except, he always finds a way to touch her.
Marco hadn't noticed it at all (it had probably been happening for years, but he'd been so oblivious), and once he did, he couldn't stop looking.
A gentle touch on the hands, a squeeze on the shoulder, bumping knees.
Marco starts sitting between them on the couch whenever he has the chance, but somehow it's not enough.
He's starting to become too paranoid, and he starts to wonder why.
Star is my best friend, he lies to himself, I'm just looking out for her.
It hurts, especially when he realized just what exactly Star and Tom were.
His parents had gone off on another cruise (because the second Marco had turned 20, they'd decided he was old enough to take care of the house), and he'd gone downstairs to get a glass of milk after having awaken from a dream.
He heard it, walking down the hall towards his room, and all he could do was freeze right then and there.
There were groans, Tom's groans to be more exact, followed by Star's own muffled voice.
Marco could've died at that very spot from how fast his heart was accelerating and just how much his stomach had turned, but instead, all he did was walk back to his bedroom and get back into bed.
He didn't sleep that night at all.
He breaks it off with Jackie as soon as he realizes why he cared so much.
She's silent at first, just listening to him ramble on about how they'd spend six too many years together, and he didn't feel the same feelings he had for her at the start.
Jackie only grins, that laid back smile, and tells him she understands, but just before she walks out, she asks if he finally realized it.
He nods, and she smiled again.
He pretends he doesn't see her weeping her eyes out just a corner away.
''What's going on between you and Tom?'' Marco shouts, in the middle of fighting off a group of mosnters.
He knows it's the right time, but he's spend months draining himself over it, and he can't take it any more.
''What?'' she yells back, blasting two with her wand. ''What are you talking about?''
''I know you two are sleeping together'' he kicks the monster as hard as he's ever done so in his life. ''Please tell me that's all that's happening''
She doesn't say anything, and they defeat the villains within minutes before making their way back home.
Marco doesn't want to let it go though, so he grabs her arm, and she struggles her way free.
''Answer me''
''I don't have to'' she growls.
He imagines he can't feel his heart fall seeing her in so much distress. ''Star, please, I need to know''
Looking at him for a few minutes, she lets out a defeated cry and tells him everything (he's heartbroken because she's suffered longer than he had, and he hates himself for not realizing he's in love with her sooner), and with tears streaming down her face, she attempts to run away.
He doesn't let her, and instead pulls her into an embrace.
''I love you too'' he mumbles, running his fingers down her hair.
She cries harder into his shirt, screaming how she'd let that bastard touch her and how she was disgusted at herself.
Marco cries with her (he can actually feel his broken heart transfer into tears), and he doesn't let go for the rest of the night.
The next day, he finds Tom and tells him to never get near her again. The demon attempts to kill him, but he's faster and without mercy this time.
For once, Marco can actually feel like he can breathe.
''You'll always be my best friend, Star'' Marco says to her, after a long night of television.
She smiles, and his hand fits into hers perfectly. ''and you'll always be my best friend, Marco''
Who knows, maybe one day, maybe in a few months, or in a few years, he'll look back on it all and realize just how blind he'd been from the start. Maybe one day he'll learn to forgive Tom for everything he did, and ask Jackie for the forgiveness he hadn't, hoping she'd find someone better than he ever was. He'll look at an older (and happier) Star, and he'll remember everything, and he'll fall in love with her all over again.
But for now, with his head resting on her lap and her gentle fingers running through his dark hair, all he can do is hope the moment will never end (because meeting Star was the best thing that could ever happen to him, and now being with her went more than beyond that).
He loves today.